Free Republic

Seven years had passed since Mena Hawkins had attempted the Las Vegas Great Santa Run. Her first attempt at the one-mile race ended after the streets had already been reopened, leaving the then 10-year-old to finish the race on the sidewalk. Her final time that year was 1 hour and 20 minutes. Despite finishing well behind the rest of the field, Hawkins wasn’t defeated by her effort. The Henderson, Nevada, native—who is now 17—has cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder that affects movement and muscle tone or posture, which has always made walking a serious challenge. In school and most places,...

 "Cardio kills," says Jim Karas in his new book, "The Cardio-Free Diet." "Cardiovascular exercise kills a weight-loss plan, your internal organs, your immune system, your time and your motivation. If your true goal is to lose weight, interval strength training is the only way to go," says Karas, an ABC News correspondent, celebrity trainer and fitness expert.    When he first tried to lose weight as a 21-year-old, Karas found that he would work up an enormous appetite after running several miles. So while his cardiovascular health improved he still wasn't losing weight. The Program He grew more interested in strength...